Can a kitten leave it's mum at 3 weeks?

zaksmum

Fire_Fox wrote: »

It's not simply about helping the kitten, that doesn't help the next kitten. It's also about the RSPCA banging down people's doors, finding out who is giving away/ selling three week old kittens and at the very least giving them a warning and letting those people know they are on their radar, preferably prosecuting. The RSPCA are the only ones who can enforce legislation, no other rescue can. And about the RSPCA tracking down at least some the litter and giving proper advice for the kittens to get proper milk, they don't necessarily need to come and seize them.

True ferals are sad but in many cases there is no human being to blame for their predicament. And I can understand there is simply no space for all.

But when the RSPCA are not prepared to do that - and the kitten's new owner won't say who supplied her with the kitten - what can you do?

They say that as long as there is no outright cruelty to the kitten they can't help. Personally I think taking it from it's mum at 3 weeks is cruelty, but I can't change the world, much as I'd like to.

I just hope the poor little creature makes it.

And I'd be amazed if the feral newborn kitten has any chance at all. The bank staff were all clustered round it doing their utmost to help it, but really - I'd be very surprised if it survives.

meritaten

zaksmum - you have just found out ONE of the reason why I will NOT donate to the RSPCA! I have phoned them on a few occasions and found them downright unhelpful! in one case I knew of two dogs left for two weeks in a garage while owner went on cruise and she had asked a very ill neighbour to look after them. neighbour went into hospital and dogs were left to themselves. I made the mistake of going and feeding and watering them - and because I did that, RSPCA declined to 'intervene'! even though I pointed out that I had no wish to look after the dogs, that I was physically disabled and might not be able to get to 'friends' house and quite frankly - it wasnt my responsibilty!
and then I looked up the RSPCA 'company report' online. What a shock! how dare they plead poverty and pay staff minimum wage!
I wont have anything to do with them now.
Rant over.
I do hope this poor little mite survives - with any luck that neighbour knows what she is doing and is trying to help it. we cannot assume that because they are 'chavvy' or whatever, they are not animal lovers.

calicocat

Mine was feral as well as being hand reared by me from 4 weeks.......now that i have read that post maybe this is why she is very clingy ........but also quite aloof, doesnt sit on you just next to you and hates to be picked up, yet follows me everywhere.It took them a couple of weeks to catch the mum , then as it was a small rescue helping out the CPL there was no real room for them and they were kept in a small cage (mum and 3 kittens) for a week.


Edit....I have a lot of friends that won't donate to RSPCA due to the massive funds they appear to have but pay crap wages and in their words 'pick and chose' what they attend to. I have only phoned them twice about some local horses and they were great and even rang me back twice to give me updates....however I live out in the sticks so this could be a reason I guess.

I always help the small (tiny even) individual animal rescues who spend every hour and usually nearly all their money into it.

zaksmum

I won't donate to them either. I donate to Dogs Trust because I support what they do for homeless dogs though.

juliebunny

zaksmum wrote: »

The RSPCA said that as long as the kitten was being adequately cared for and was kept warm and fed they would not intervene.

If I see the neighbour who took the kitten I'll check how it is.

There were two feral kittens born on Friday behind our local bank. When I went to pay a bill today one kitten was wrapped in a blanket with a halogen heater warming it; the other had sadly died.

A staff member had found them and rang the RSPCA - not able to help.

So she took both kittens home to try to save them, feeding them every two hours with special milk from the vet. The surviving one couldn't be left while she came to work so she took it with her. If it makes it, she'll keep it.

Poor thing's no bigger than a hamster. So if the RSPCA won't help a new born kitten, what chance does a 3 week old one have?

What a shame. Although I'm sure they meant well, days old kittens need their mum and the mum needs them - taking them away from her they have actually done the worst possible thing, assuming she hadn't already abandoned them. The mum will only be stuck in this cycle of pregnancy unless she get speyed....I would say advise them to call a local charity to get her trapped and neutered.....?

zaksmum

juliebunny wrote: »

What a shame. Although I'm sure they meant well, days old kittens need their mum and the mum needs them - taking them away from her they have actually done the worst possible thing, assuming she hadn't already abandoned them. The mum will only be stuck in this cycle of pregnancy unless she get speyed....I would say advise them to call a local charity to get her trapped and neutered.....?

Do you mean the newborn kittens born behind the bank? No, the mum cat had abandoned them, they were on their own

Monsternextdoor

zaksmum wrote: »

I won't donate to them either. I donate to Dogs Trust because I support what they do for homeless dogs though.

Dogs trust also wont house dogs with forces families, I refused to donate to them because of this.

You can raise a baby animal by hand but its not easy, We did it many years back with a 10 day old yorkshire terrier pup, took 3 adults round the clock for 4 weeks feeding him every 2 hours to ensure his survival, And the little blighter is still going strong at 14 now !

She needs hand the kitten over to someone who knows what there doing with it, A vet etc to give the poor things some chance of surviving.

marmiterulesok

Monsternextdoor wrote: »

Dogs trust also wont house dogs with forces families, I refused to donate to them because of this.

Why won't they house dogs with Forces families?

madvixen

Monsternextdoor wrote: »

Dogs trust also wont house dogs with forces families, I refused to donate to them because of this.

Are you sure about this? We're a Forces family and they were happy for us to rehome a dog.

Monsternextdoor

madvixen Positive had a fair few people try and they will not rehome them, One person I know was told not to bother looking at the animals as they will not pass the checks.

marmiterulesok Because there is some people in the forces who 'dump' there pets when getting a overseas posting, but this could be true of anyone.

I have a rescue dog that we have had for years now, she came from the RSPCA and 4 years, 3 moves on we are still waiting for our checks to see if we are responsible enough to own a dog :rotfl: She is spayed because I didnt want the responsibilty of rehoming puppies, Up to date on jabs, ready to travel she has her own little passport that she waves to the man when travelling and is well groomed and cared for she is to me another child and I could never part with her.

They said when we got her she would never be able to be with other dogs as she had aggression problems, what they didnt know was she was aggressive as she was coming into season and now mixes with dogs of all sizes !!

Anyways back to OP I really hope she gives the kitten up to someone who knows what there actually doing with them.